Contents

Press release

Titan Comics presents a miniseries of four Assassin’s Creed Origins comics, written by Ann Toole. They will explore the first years of the Assassins Order, introducing new characters as well as notable historical figures.[1]

Issues

07/03/2018 - Ancient Egypt, a land of majesty and intrigue, is disappearing in a ruthless fight for power. Unveil dark secrets and forgotten myths as you go back to the one founding moment: The Origins of the Assassin’s Brotherhood. Written by Anne Toole, Egyptologist and video game writer for Assassin's Creed Origins and Horizon Zero Dawn. Ties into the hotly anticipated Assassin's Creed Origins game.

30 B.C.: Alexandria, Egypt. Cleopatra oversees the execution of an Octavian sympathiser, who warns that the Octavian army closes in on her. Knowing that the woman was walking into her death to challenge her, Cleopatra is reminded of a certain woman from long ago.

44 B.C.: Rome. Following the death of Septimius, Aya prowls the rooftops of Rome for her target, familiar to her now thanks to Brutus. The target is Magnus, an orator for Caesar, and a swift arrow from Aya eliminates him mid speech. The two would be assassins retreat to a nearby bath house where Aya scolds Brutus for trying to delay her shot upon Magnus, reminding him that she will not be spoken down to. Brutus reflects that he cannot believe that Caesar has reached the point of becoming a dictator, and hopes the orator assassination would send a clear message. Cassius arrives to relate that it did not, and that Caesar intends to cling to power. Brutus relates that he has had visions of Rome burning, and that Caesar should now die. Aya desires to kill him immediately, but Cassius and Brutus argue that Romans respond to spectacle - and must wait for the Ides of March for the assassination.

Aya walks across Rome, observing slavery, oppression and poverty around her. She misses Egypt, but knows that she must also save those around her now. She encounters Mark Antony, who politely advises that he knows of her via Cleopatra and warns that leaders always do what they must.

The Ides of March arrives. In their home, Caesar is warned by his wife to abandon his decision to go to the Senate that day, and that Cleopatra might try to stop him. He relates that he fears no-one and leaves to prepare.

Brutus tries to give Aya his dagger for the act, but she tells him to keep it. The two arrive at the Senate, where Caesar makes his address to the senators. Aya, dons a nearly gown raising it above her head like a hood. With his back turned to her, she strikes Caesar with her hidden blade. So begins the assassination, with each senator one by one stabbing him until finally Brutus brings forth his dagger and delivers the killing blow. Word reaches the public outside, and Mark Antony warns Aya that Brutus has made a mistake - things are now about to get much worse.[2]

11/04/2018 - Direct tie-in to the brand-new videogame, Assassin's Creed Origins! Witness the very beginning of the Assassin's Creed!

30 B.C.: Alexandria, Egypt. Caesarion, son of Cleopatra, practices his combat skills with a soldier. The soldier easily knocks Caesarion to the floor several times in front of Cleopatra. She comforts her son by telling him that every defeat is a chance to learn towards a victory. They are interrupted by the sight of fires in the distance, as Octavian's army closes in.

44 B.C.: Rome. Three hours after Caesar's death. The city erupts in violence and shock at the news. Mark Antony seizes the opportunity, addressing the crowds and telling them to take revenge on the senators who have stolen Caesar from the people. One of the senators is captured by the crowd, and is brutally beaten. Aya watches on from a nearby rooftop, and is disgusted by what she sees, and fires an arrow from her bow to release the senator to a quick merciful death. Roman soldiers spot her, and she is wounded in the arm by a glancing arrow. With the crowd in pursuit of her, she manages to lead them away, before eventually returning to Mark Antony. She pleads to him to calm down the crowds, but he merely states that he cannot without bringing Brutus to them for justice. As the crowd returns, they give chase to Aya once more and she is forced to flee again. Climbing an aqueduct, the Roman soldiers climb up to find her, forcing her to engage in a melee battle. Heavily outnumbered, she eventually gets knocked down - smacking her head against the stonework. Collapsing unconscious into the running water, she is swept away by the current.

A time later within a storeroom, Aya is awoken by a splash of water, and finds herself in front of Brutus and Cassius with her wounds bandaged. Brutus mentions that he is happy they found her before Mark Antony, and that he regrets not killing him. Aya retorts that killing in public was a terrible plan for Caesar's assassination, and pulls out Brutus's knife, holding it to his throat. Cassius interjects advising that it would be in their best interest to leave whilst soldiers hunt for them.

They leave together, and walk along the aqueducts at nightfall. Brutus relates that he has had a vision and must now make his way to Crete. As they walk, a crowd surrounds an old woman below. Fearing an innocent may be about to die, Aya tells Brutus to follow his vision, but that her purpose remains in saving Rome. She performs a Leap of Faith, and engages the crowd.[2]

16/05/2018 - Direct tie-in to the brand-new videogame, Assassin's Creed Origins! Witness the very beginning of the Assassin's Creed!

30 B.C.: Alexandria, Egypt. Cleopatra finds her son Caesarion looking to the horizon, as Octavian's men close in. As their bodyguard advises them to stay in place, he walks away to investigate a noise. Suddenly an assailant rushes towards Cleopatra, leaving Caesarion to defend her and ultimately kill the would-be assassin. The bodyguard returns shortly after, and believing him to have been partly behind the assassination attempt, Cleopatra goads her son into killing the guard too.

Meanwhile, nearby an old dog walks the streets and looks up with recognition in its eyes towards someone familiar.

44 B.C.: Rome. Aya lays in a caged cell, having survived the brawl with the locals. A young dog comes up to the bars of the cell, and is provided with a small bowl of water by Aya. Mark Antony arrives to question her, and wants to know where Brutus is hiding. She refuses to betray Brutus, and is promptly lead away.

With her hands bound, she is plunged into a watery arena. The crowd elect to release hippos into the water, in a hope to execute her. The animals instantly charge her through the water, but she manages to release her bindings against the stone corner of a pillar. Finding a nearby stone shard, she manages to battle under water and mortally wounds one hippo, before a second savages an injury to her shoulder with its maw. Escaping to the surface of the water, Aya narrowly avoids a hail of arrows that rains down around her, which ultimately takes down the nearest hippo. Brutus and Cassius dive into the water and escape with Aya through the tunnel which the hippos had entered from.

Out of the water, Aya expresses surprise that they returned for her. With her wound worsening, they note pursuers coming towards them, and elect to burn nearby tapestries, which they throw over the entrance, before making their escape outside. Once they reach the sunlight, they are immediately surrounded by Mark Antony and a mob of warriors.[2]

27/06/2018 - Direct tie-in to the smash-hit videogame Assassin's Creed: Origins. Witness the very beginning of the Assassin's Creed!

30 B.C.: Alexandria, Egypt. Octavian's army continues to close in on Cleopatra. As she engages in tactical discussions with her closest advisors, the sounds of fighting begin outside of the nearby doorway. Suddenly the doors smash wide open...

44 B.C.: Rome. Aya, Brutus and Cassius remain surrounded by the mob lead by Mark Antony. A battle commences, with the mob easily outmatched by the proto Assassins. Brutus knocks Mark Antony to the ground, and holds a blade over him whilst remarking that he had turned his back on the Roman Republic. Aya warns Brutus that he had pledged to save the Roman people, and by killing Antony, he would condemn them all to fear. Brutus smashes the blade in frustration upon the ground, as Aya helps Mark Antony to his feet.

Later that day, Aya and Brutus discuss the situation in Rome atop an aqueduct. He acknowledges that he must leave the city now, and intends to make for Crete. He urges Aya to create a new Bureau, and to lead it correctly from the shadows. Aya gifts him a specially made blade for his travels. Aya recalls, as history recorded, that Brutus never returned to Rome, and was eventually tracked down and killed by Mark Antony's allies in Macedonia. Though rumours suggest he may have in fact have survived under another alias.

Aya takes on the name of Amunet, reflecting her new status as The Hidden One. Caesar's adopted son, Octavian, takes over the power vaccum left in Rome. His influence eventually spread to other countries, such as Egypt...

30 B.C.: Alexandria, Egypt. With the doors wide open, Cleopatra's guards rush out and are summarily killed by an unseen assailant. A fearless Caesarion runs out into the fray, and is knocked unconscious. Cleopatra calls out to Octavian to show himself, but in response Aya emerges from the shadows to confront her. Cleopatra believes her son killed, and tries to strike Aya, but her blow is blocked. Aya warns that she did not kill Caesarion, but that if Cleopatra does not step down from power Octavian would likely kill them both before long. She argues that Egypt suffers under a needless war, and for the good of the country Cleopatra should surrender. Cleopatra reluctantly agrees, on condition that Aya take Caesarion safely away to train with her. Aya gives a small potion bottle to Cleopatra. A short time later, Cleopatra sits upon her throne, and orders her generals to stand down. She drinks the potion, and slumps to the ground in death.

On a nearby boat, Aya reunites with Phoxidas and sails away from the area. An unconscious Caesarion regains his bearings, and realises that he is leaving Egypt. Aya tells him to keep Egypt in his heart, for they are to travel to other places where they will remain in the shadows.[2]